Pages

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Good News Round for Week 2- August 2017

by Nomad

It's time for a monthly roundup of brighter news than our usual fare.
I have chosen a few stories that might brighten your day somewhat. From free treatment for a killer disease whose victims were once so highly stigmatized to a fresh approach to tackling climate change, there are five links to good news stories coming your way.

In what is seen as an innovative prevention program, the UK plans to make an anti-HIV drug freely available to thousands of NHS patients in September.

HIV drug will be available on the NHS next month
Another health related story.
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that might be rare- accounting for less than one percent of all skin cancer cases, it is also responsible for the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. Despite awareness campaigns and the greater access to skin protection creams, the number of people being diagnosed with melanoma has skyrocketed over the past three decades.

The goal of the alliance is to bring states together to reduce emissions 26%-28% from 2005 levels, in order to meet or exceed the targets of the federal Clean Power Plan, which Trump has promised to undo. The plan, instituted by President Obama in 2015, targeted coal-fired power plants, requiring existing power plants to cut harmful emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

In another act of defiance, former Republican governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has set up a new website that offers a searchable database of legislation to help combat climate change. It is, the article points out, "meant to help lawmakers across the country craft their own climate change legislation."Schwarzenegger launches new effort to counter Trump on climate
Even though we should all be skeptical of technology alone providing the solution to our looming climate change dilemma, it might be a partial panacea. That would involve not only cutting out greenhouse gas emissions but also finding a means to absorb the tons that are already heating up the atmosphere.

Logically, plants would be the answer. It's how they earn their living.

However, the problem is plants as CO removers are efficient but slow. So, scientists asked, would it possible to find a way to make plants more efficient at absorbing carbon, so that they consumed more carbon in a shorter amount of time?

Not all news is bad but finding the good news seems to be something that requires us to make a conscious effort. We owe to ourselves (and each other) not to fall into the trap of becoming hopeless and falling into despair.

DISCLAIMER

Our site contains links to third-party websites. We have no influence whatsoever on the information on these websites and accept no guarantee for its correctness. The content of such third-party websites is the responsibility of the respective owners/providers. Nomadic Politics Blog bears no responsibility for comments.